Machine for use in the packaging of product



Aug. 11, 1959 B. 1-. HENSGEN MACHINE FOR USE IN THE PACKAGING 0F PRODUCTFilud April 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. BER/l/IRD THENSGEN A7'7'OR/VEY Aug. 11, 1959 B. 'r. HENSGEN MACHINE FOR USE IN THE PACKAGING0F PRODUCT Filed April 15, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BERNARD 7.l/E/YSG'E/V Aug. 1959 B. 'r. HENSGEN 2,898,722

MACHINE FOR USE IN THE PACKAGING OF PRODUCT Filed April 15, 1953 3Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

0 5 BY ak/ A T TOR/V5) United States Patent MACHINE FOR USE IN THEPACKAGING OF PRODUCT Bernard T. Hensgen, Chicago, IlL, assignor to Swift& Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April15, 1953, Serial No. 348,932 17 Claims. (Cl. 53-247) The presentinvention relates to an apparatus for slicing, shingling and groupingproduct, as for example bacon, and depositiing it on a fiat sheet ofmaterial, as for example, a bacon divider.

Because of public demand the majority of sliced bacon today is marketedin packages wherein the slices are shingled so as to display a portionof each slice of bacon. A substantial portion of these packages are of atype wherein the s'hingled bacon is supported on a piece of cardboardcommonly termed a divider with a wrapping of transparent materialthereabout. While some of the operations in the preparation of such apackage have been mechanized, a substantial volume of products soprepared still utilizes a significant amount of manual handling in thepreparation of the package. For example, it is not uncommon that thesliced and shingled bacon is delivered to a person who selects apredetermined quantity of the shingled bacon, separates it from theremainder of the amount of sliced and shingled bacon, and places it onthe divider.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide asimplemachine for continuously slicing, shingling, and grouping the bacon andplacing the groups on the dividers.

Two particular advantages of the invention which contribute to thepleasing appearance of the finished package are that the groups areregularly arranged on the dividers so that the edges of the slices arealigned with the edges of the dividers and the portions of the dividersexposed around the bacon are not smeared with fat or grease from thebacon. If the slices of bacon are skewed with respect to the edges ofthe dividers it is usually necessary that the bacon be lifted from thedivider and aligned in order to provide a pleasing appearance for thefinished package. Furthermore, any movement of the slices across theface of the divider tends to leave fat or grease smears that areobjectionable.

Another advantage that contributes to the appearance of the finishedpackage is that the slices of a group are all regularly aligned witheach other. In such past practices, particularly in some efforts to usemachines for separating the shingled bacon into groups, one or more ofthe slides are disturbed either by reason of a frictional contact withanother slice or by reason of the sudden movement imparted to the groupin an effort to move a particular number of slices away from an area inwhich other slices are being shingled. To realign such disarrangedslices to obtain the best appearance, a hand operation is necessarywhich is an undesirable added eX- pense.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation, partially in section, of an embodiment ofthe invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view on an' enlarged scale of the portion of themechanism of the embodiment of Figure 1 for performing the step ofshingling and grouping;

2,898,722 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 Figure 3 is a section taken at line 3-3of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the portion of thestructure of Figure 1, with the cover broken away, for performing thestep of depositing the groups on dividers; and

Figure 5 is a section taken at line 5-5 of Figure 4.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawings is for the handling of bacon.It will be apparent that the invention is applicable to many other foodproducts, for example cheese, and even could be used for non-ediblematerial. The discosed embodiment performs the steps of slicing,shingling, grouping and depositing of the groups on cards, each of whichoperations and apparatus therefor is necessary in achieving thecommercially necessary results starting with a slab of bacon. Forconvenience these operations and the apparatus for performing them willbe discussed under separate headings, but this does not detract from thefact that the end result cannot be achieved from a slab of bacon withoutthe interaction of each of the elements of the combination. However, itwill be apparent that certain subcombinations could hav independentuses.

Slicing Bacon slicers are well-known in the art and the exact details ofthe slicer structure forms no part of the present invention. The slicer,generally 10, has a table 11 on which the slab of bacon is supported andgradually moved toward a rotary knife 12 by a pusher 13. Knife 12 ismounted on a shaft 14, which shaft is driven by a motor 15 through achain drive 16.

In order that the remainder of the apparatus be driven in synchronismwith the slicer, a sprocket 18 is secured to shaft 14 and is connectedto a sprocket 19 on the input shaft of a speed reducer 20 by a chain 21.

Shingling posited on the chains from slicer 10.

Attached to shaft 30 is a sprocket 32 which is connected to a sprocket33 on shaft 34 by means of a chain 35. A second sprocket 37, alsosecured to shaft 34, is driven by a chain 38 from a sprocket 39 mountedon the output shaft of speed reducer 20.

The upper portions or conveying surfaces of chains 25 are moved in thedirection indicated by arrow 40 so as to transport each slice away fromknife 12 as it is severed from the slab of bacon and falls on chains 25.The speed of movement is adjusted with respect to the rotation of knife12 at a rate that will move each slice a portion of its width away fromthe point at which it is deposited so that the subsequent slice willdrop in a partially overlapping relationship with respect to thepreceding slice. Obviously the exact amount of movement will bedetermined by how much of each slice is to be exposed underneath thesubsequent slice.

Grouping Frame 23 also carries a second conveyor, generally 42, which ismade up of a plurality of endless belts 43. At one end of conveyor 42the belts 43 pass over pulleys 44 secured to shaft 30, while at theother end the belts pass over pulleys 45 mounted on shaft 46 (seeFigures 4 and 5).

3 .ln e m'ed atef prq et 26n P l 4 a P11 rality of spacing bars 47attached to a cross member 48. One end of cross member 48 is pivotallysecured to a lever 49 with the other end of lever 49 being pivotallyattachedtoframe 23 Lever 49 is used to control the forward and rearwardmovement of the spacing bars 47, Thi's mqyement is provided by a box cam50 connected to shaft 34. A cam follower 51 projecting from lever 49 isreceived in cam slot 52 of box cam 50.

I The raising and lowering movement of spacing bars 47 is accomplishedby a linkage made up of levers 55 and ends of lever 56; are respectivelypivotally connected to LfrarheQKarrdone end of lever 55, while the otherend of leyer 55is pivetally secured to cross member 48. A 57 mounted ;onshaft34 contacts the lower side of leyler 6jwith the lever 56bein'g'held against the cam by 1 ri ,5 V V rriebtluiae ana positioningof'cams 50 and 57 are site that the bar 47 moves between sprockets 26and pulleysf4'4 berewj ne rea in which the'shingling'is taking placeohchains 25. During the course of this movement the trip: 6f rev-b54915belowjthe upper surface of belts 43. can; 5 7"the'n raises levers'49above the top of belts 43 to liftitheshingled bacon from chains'25 andat the same time dam '50"cji'1ickly'moves the bars "47 in the directionindicated by arrow 40, whereupon cam 57' allows spring 58 to pull thebars 47 to apo'sition which again is below the. surface'of belts '43.

The timing of the movements of bars 47 is'synchroriii'zed with theoperation of the slicer through the drives previously described. Thetiming is such that the. bars .47 rise from the position below theshingling area, as delineated by chains 25, after a'predeterrninednumber of slices have been cut from the slab by knife 12. This movementis also timed tooccur before the time when the slice subsequent to thelast slice in the group has time to fall onto the already sliced baconresting on conveyor 24. Because allof the slices of bacon resting onconveyor 24 are moved, there is no frictional contact between thoseslices and any'other slices of bacon to result in'a disarra ngement'ofthe slabs of the group. Furthermore, the serrated teeth 59 on the top ofbars 47 engage the slices of bacon to eliminate any slippage between thebar andthe'group of slices which might result in a misalignment of thegroup of slices when they are deposited on b el ts 43. Obviously theperiodic fast movement of 47 willresult in a series of separate groupsof bacon being spaced along belts 43.

' Pla'tiitg product on cards "Referringfnow'toFigures 4and 5, theindividual groups 6f ices are"trahsferred'from belts43 to a series ofways ffo'rn' ihg a conveying surface. Each of ways 65 are attached'toafl shaped b'raeket66, the ends of which are bolted to a subframe 67.Ways65 are interdigitated with helts43. 'The lengthof thegroups ofslices, as measured parallel 'to 'the' line of'rnovement of the'groupsissuffie'i'ehtly long so 'that the rearward portions of the groupcontinue to frictionally engage belts 43, pushing the group ontothe'waysmm the forward portion'of the group is engaged 'by' a plurality ofchains 68 each having a plurality of peints 69'projecting therefrom.

Chains 68 are d'ri'venby sprockets 71'secured to shaft 72," with 'each'chain rotating about two idler sprockets 7-3 and 74"moui1t'ed on "shafts75 and 76, respectively. A pair of idler wheels 78 and 79 assist inpositioning the lower run'ofch'ains '68 'so that this run of thejchainis parallel to and just above the top of ways 65. Idlers 78 rotate on ashaft 80 attachedto subframe 67. Idlers 79 aresecured to'a' stub shaft81 projecting from arms 82. The opposite ends of jar'ms82 are pivotallymounted on a shaft 83attached to subframe 67. Bolt 84 and threaded,khurled'-cylinder"85 form an adjustable counterbalance forarmsSZandidlers 79.

One end of subframe 67 is pivotally supported 'on shaft 72. Adjacent theother end of the subframe, a pair of projecting brackets 88 are threadedto receive adjusting bolts 89 which are secured in place with lock nuts90. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the positionof chains 68 can be adjusted with respect to the top of ways both bychanging the setting of bolts 89 and also by adjusting counterbalances85.

Shaft 72 is driven from shaft 46 by means ofa chain 92. Chain 92 passesacross one side of a sprocket 93 secured to shaft 72 and around asprocket secured to shaft 46, as well as apair "(if 'idler sprockets 9 5and 96 on stub shafts"97"ahd98, respectively. A chain 99 drives asprocketj secured to shaft 46 from a sprocket secured to shaft 34(Figures 2 and 3). I Chain 99 also passes around idler sprockets 101,102, and 103, carried on stub shafts 104, 105, and 106, respectively.

The sheets of flat material, in the illustrated embodiment the bacondividers, are positioned beneath ways 65 by a supporting'means generally110. Supporting means comprises a supporting plate 111 attached to a rod112 movable vertically through across member 113 of frame 23. To thelower end of rod 112-is-pinned alink 114fthe other end of which ispinned to a counterbalance member 115. A counterbalance member 115 ispivotally connected to a depending arm 116 of frame 23. Twocounterbalance weights 118 and 119 are adjustably mounted on 'rods 1 20and 121, respectively. The position of weights 118 and "119 is such thata counterbalance forcefis applied upwardly on rods 112 proportional toand slightlygrea'terthan the weight of the stack of dividers bnplate 111plus the weight of the supporting means 11 0'itself eventhoug'h thenumber of cards on the plate 111 varies. "Thus the stack of dividers 122continuously is urged gently upwardly into a position about against thebottom of ways 65.

In order 'to keep the 'counterbalance'for'ce as nearly as isposs'ibl'eeq'ual to the weight downwardly on the supporting means 110and yet not have'a small amount of friction prevent the stack of cardsfrom moving upwar'dly, a] jcigge generan 124, is provided toperiodically tap the su porting meanstdbr'eak any frictional engagementthat might otherwise tend to prevent a free mover'nent ofthefshpportingmean's. The jogger includes a flexible arm izs; one end"of-whichis secured to a shaft 126. The o herend of thefleXible'arnrIZSis positioned to'contact 111115114. Sprocket 127 "mounted on shaft'1 26engages chain'99 to rotate the shaftarid'cause the flexible arm 125'toperiodically strike the link. A guide129,'withinwhich plate 111moves, is used to position thestack'of dividers 122. The'forward, withrespect'to the direction of movement 40, edge of the guide forms alip'proje'cting upwardly and away from the acute ariglep'oint 1316f ways65. It will be noted in the'drawings -that hp 130' of guide 129 ispositioned beyondpoint 131 a distance su'fiicient topermit onlya portionof the length,-as measured parallel to the 1ine of movement of theshingled groups,'of the'dividers 122 to extend-out from under ways 65.

Adjacent the rear of the stack of dividers 122- are -a pair of'roll'ers" 133 rotatably mounted on a shaft 134 secured to'ways65. Thedistance between the periphery of ro'll'erf1-33 and th'e inn'erface'oflip 130 is substantially equalto the length'bf dividers122.Furthermore, the inner face of lip 130 is of substantially the sameradius of curvature"as that of the periphery of rollers-133. Thus, asthestack'"of dividers 122 is gently urged upwardly by the supportingmeans 110, the rollers "133 push the dividers forwardly into lip 130.

'Beyond,'with"respect to the direction or movement, the stack of-cardsis another conveyor, generally 13'7 made up of a plurality of belts 138.Belts 1381pass over-pulleys 139 secured to shaft 140. Shaft 140 has asprocket- 141 thereon Which sprocket is connected -bya chain -;142 to-asprocket lfion shaft 46.

Operation The bacon on table 11 is pushed forward a step at a time intothe path of the rotary knife 12 with the severed slices falling ontoconveyor 24. By reason of the movement of conveyor 24 in the directionindicated by arrow 40, each deposited slice moves partially out fromunder the spot at which it fell so that the subsequent slice falls inpartial overlapping relationship thereto. After a pre determined numberof slices have been deposited, the bars 47 of the grouping mechanismlifts up that group of slices and quickly moves it in said direction todeposit it on conveyor 42. The spaced groups move along conveyor 42 toways 65 where they are engaged by chains 68. Under the urging of chains68 the group of slices moves down ways 65 to the pointed end thereof atwhich point it slides onto the exposed portion of the uppermost divider,whereupon it almost immediately frictionally engages the divider toslide the divider out from under the ways. With the continued movementof the divider the group is gradually deposited on the divider and thetwo are transferred onto conveyor 137 to be moved away.

The foregoing description of a specific embodiment is for the purpose ofcompliance with 35 U.S.C. 1112 and should not be construed as imposingunnecessary limitations on the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for use in placing product on a flat piece of material,said machine including a conveyor having a predetermined terminus, powermeans for moving said product along said conveyor in a given directiontoward said terminus, and means for urging said piece upwardly towardsaid conveyor with only a portion of said piece extending beyond saidterminus in said direction, said power means extending beyond theterminus of said conveyor in said direction whereby said product willfrictiona-lly engage said portion of said piece and draw it past saidterminus to position said product on said piece.

2. A machine for use in placing product on a flat piece of material,said machine including a conveyor having a conveying surface with apredetermined terminus, power means for moving said product along saidconveyor in a given direction toward said terminus, and means for urgingsaid piece upwardly toward said conveyor with only a portion of a sideof said piece extending beyond said terminus in said direction, saidconveying surface and said side meeting at an acute angle at saidterminus, said power means extending beyond the terminus of saidconveyor in said direction whereby said product will frictionally engagesaid portion of said piece and draw it past said terminus to positionsaid product on said piece.

3. A machine for use in placing product on a fiat piece of material,said machine including a conveyor having a predetermined terminus, powermeans for moving said product along said conveyor in a given directiontoward said terminus, and means for urging said piece upwardly towardsaid conveyor with only a portion of said piece extending beyond saidterminus in said direction, a second conveyor positioned beyond saidportion in said direction and below said piece, said power meansextending beyond the terminus of said conveyor in said direction wherebysaid product will frictionally engage said portion of said piece anddraw it past said terminus to position said product on said piece and tomove said piece onto said second conveyor.

4. A machine for use in placing product on a flat piece of material,said machine including a conveyor having a predetermined terminus, powermeans for moving said product along said conveyor in a given directiontoward said terminus, means for supporting a stack of said pieces'belowsaid conveyor, a material positioning member beyond said terminus insaid direction a distance less than the length of said piece, saidmember having a rearward face, with respect to said direction ofmovement, sloping upward and away from said terminus, and means toposition an edge of the upper portion of said stack in contact with saidface, said supporting means positioning the top of said stack above saidmember, said power means extending beyond the terminus of said conveyorin said direction whereby said product will frictionally engage theportion of the top piece of said stack extending beyond said terminusand draw it past said terminus to position said product on said piece.

5. A machine for use in placing product on a flat piece of material,said machine including a conveyor having a predetermined terminus, powermeans for moving said product along said conveyor in a given directiontoward said terminus, means for supporting a stack of said pieces belowsaid conveyor, a material positioning member beyond said terminus insaid direction a distance less than the length of said piece, saidmember having a rearward face, with respect to said direction ofmovement, sloping upward and away from said terminus, means to positionan edge of the upper portion of said stack in contact with said face,said supporting means comprising a stack supporting member and acounterbalance therefor, said counterbalance exerting a force upward onsaid supporting member proportional to, and only slightly greater thanthe weight downwardly on the supporting member, and means toperiodically jog said supporting means to assist in breaking anyfrictional engagement tending to prevent free movement of saidsupporting means, said power means extending beyond the terminus of saidconveyor in said direction whereby said product will frictionally engagethe portion of the top piece of said stack extending beyond saidterminus and draw it past said terminus to position said product on saidpiece.

6. A machine for use in placing product on a tflat piece of material,said machine including a conveyor having a conveying surface with apredetermined terminus, power means for moving said product along saidconveyor in a given direction toward said terminus, means for supportinga stack of said pieces below said conveyor, a material positioningmember beyond said terminus in said direction a distance less than thelength of said piece, said member having a rearward face, with respectto said direction of movement, sloping upward and away from saidterminus, means to position an edge of the upper portion of said stackin contact with said face, said supporting means positioning the top ofsaid stack above said member, said conveying surface and said top ofsaid stack meeting at an acute angle at said terminus, and a secondconveyor beyond said positioning member in said direction and below thetop of said positioning member, said power means extending beyond theterminus of said conveyor in said direction whereby said product willfrictionally engage the portion of the top piece of said stack extendingbeyond said terminus and draw it past said terminus to position saidproduct on said piece and to move said piece onto said second conveyor.

7. A machine for use in placing product on a flat piece of material,said machine including way means, said means coming to an acute anglepoint at one end thereof, movable means positioned above said way means,said movable means having a plurality of points projecting toward saidway means to engage products on said way means, power driving meansconnected to said movable means to move said points toward and beyondsaid acute angle point, and means for urging said piece upwardly towardsaid way means with only a portion of said piece extending beyond saidpoint. r

8. A machine for use in placing product on a flat piece of material,said machine including way means having a product supporting surface,said means: coming to an acute angle point at one end thereof, movablemeans positioned above said way means, said movable means having aplurality of points projecting toward said way assures 7 means to engageproduct on said way means, "power drivin'g-rneans 'c'onnected't'o said'movablemeans-to move said points'to'wartl and beyond said "acuteanglepoint, means for 's'upportingastack' of said pieces below said waymeans, a "guidefor "positioning one edge of said pieces, said guidebeing'sp'ace'd'from said point a distance less than thele'ngth of saidpieces, said'guide having a lip extending upwardly away'from said pointand a roller positioned under said surface, said roller being mountedwith the periphery thereof a distance from said lip equal to the lengthofsaidpieces, said lip being curved in an are having substantiallythesame radius as that of said roller.

9. Adevic'eto lay a shingled group of slices of product bn'a fiatpieceof material for use with a machine adapted topayout said slicesofproduct in timed sequence, said device includi'ng a frame, conveyormeans mounted on said frame-fonmoveme'nt of product in a given directionat a predetermined rate of speed, said conveyor means 'c'omprisinga'plurality of spaced endless belts, one end of said conveyor meanspositioned to receive slices of product fromsaid machine at a point onsaid means and to'm'ove said slices away from said machine whereby saidslices are positioned in a shingled relationship, spacing-ineansto'periodicall'y lift a group of said shingled slicesfrom said conveyormeans, move said group in said direction at a greater rate of speed thansaid predeterminedrate, and redeposit said group on said conveyor meanswhereby said shingled slices are positioned in spaced groups on saidconveyor means, power means to operate sai'd conveyor means and saidspacing means in timed relationship-to thepaying out of said slices bysaid machine, a plurality of spaced ways mounted on said frame, saidWays being positioned with one end thereof interdigita'ted withsaidbelts and with the other end extending beyond said conveyor means insaid direction, power driven means for moving said groups of productalong said ways i'n said direction, and means for supporting saidpiece-below said ways'with only a portion of said piece extending beyondsaid other end thereof, said power dr-iven--'rneans extending beyondsaid ways in said direction vi -hereby said product will frictionallyengage said portionof said piece and draw it past said other end of saidways to position said group of slices of product on said piece.

10. A 'device'to lay a shingled group of slices of product o'nafiatpieceof material for use with a machine adapted to'p'ay-out said slices ofproduct in timed sequence, said device including aframe, conveyor meansmounted on said f'ra'rne'for movement of product in a given direction ata predeterrninedrate of speed, said conveyor means comprising-aplurality of spaced endless belts, one end of said conveyor meanspositioned to receive slices of product from said machineat a point onsaid means and to 'rnove'said slicesaway from said machine whereby saidslices are-positioned in a shingled relationship, group spacingbarspositioned between said belts adjacent said one end-ofsaid'conveyor'means, cam means operatively connected to said barsto movesaid bars to a position below about-said point, raise said bars untilthe top of the bars are a'bove the top-of said belts, move the bars insaid direction-at a speed'faster than said predetermined rate of speed,and lower said bars below the top of said belts whereby said shingledslices are positioned in spaced groups on said conveyor means, powermeans to operate said conveyor means and said cam means in timedrelation'ship to the'paying out of said slices by said machine, aplurality of spaced ways mounted on said frame, said waysbeingpositioned with one end thereof interdigitated with said belts and withthe other end'extending beyond said conveyor'means in said direction,power driven means for moving said groups of product along said ways inSaiddire'ctiOn; and means for supporting said piece below s aiddivayswith only a portion of said piece extending extending beyond said waysin said direction whereby said 8 product will frictionally engage saidportion of said piece and draw 'itipast said other end ofsaid iways 'topo'sition said'groupofslices of product'o'n said pie'ce.

11. A device today a shingled-groupofslicesof prod uct on a flat pieceof material for'use with a mahine adapted to pay out said slices of'product intim'ed :se quence, saiddevice including 'a frame, conveyor:means mounted on said frarnefor movementof-productdn a given directionat a v predetermined -rate of speed, said conveyor means comprising apluralityofspaced endless belts, one end of said conveyor 'meanspositioned to ref ceive slices of product from said machine at a pointonsaid means and to move said slices away from said machine whereby saidslices are positioned-ma shingled relationship, group spacing barspositioned betweensaid belts adjacent said one .endof said conveyormeans, cam means operatively connected to saidbars to move said bars toa position below about said point, araise said bars until the top of thebars are above "the top of said belts, move the bars in said directionat-a speed faster than said predetermined rate of speed,-and'--lowersaid bars below the top of said belts whereby :said shingled slices arepositioned in spaced groups'onsaid conveyor means, powermeans to operatesaid-conveyor means and said cam means in tim'ed relationship to thepaylng out of said slices by said machine, and means'for depositing eachof said groups of shingled produet'on a piece of material.

12. A device to :lay a shingled group of sl-icesmf product on a fiatpiece ofimaterial foruse 'Witha machine adapted to pay out said slicesof product in time'd sequence, said device including a frame, conveyormeans mounted .on said frame for-movement of product in' a givendirection at a predetermined rate of speed, said conveyor meanscomprising a pluralityof spaced endless belts, one end .of said conveyormeans positioned to receive-slices of product from said machine at apoint-on said means and to movetsaid slices away'from'saidm'achinewhereby said slices are positioned in -a-shin=gle'd relatlonship,spacing means to periodicallylift a group ofsaid shingled slices fromsaid conveyor means, more said group in said direction at a greater rate.of speed than said predetermined rate, and redeposit said group on saidconveyor means whereby said shingled slices are positioned in spacedgroups on-said conveyor means, power means to operate said conveyormeans and said spacing means in timed relationship to the paying 'out-ofsaid slices'by said machine, a plurality of spaced'ways' mounted on saidwframe,said ways being positioned with one end thereof interdigitatedwith said belts and with "the other end extending beyond said conveyormeans in sa-i d direction, power driven means for moving said *groups ofproduct along said ways in said direction, supporting means for astackofsaid pieces comprising a vertically movable supporting member anda counterbalance for the supporting member and stack supported thereby,said supporting member being positioned generally below said ways, amaterial positioning member beyond said other end of said ways in saiddirection, said positioning member having a rearward face, with respect-to-sa-id direction :of movement, sloping upward and -away 'from saidways, and means to push an edge of the top 'por'tion of said stackrintocontact with said face.

'13. A device to lay ashingled group of slices of prod not on a flatpiece of material for use with a machine adapted to pay out said slicesof product in't-imed 'sequence, said deviceincluding a frame,conveyormeans mounted on said .frame for movement of product -in -agiven direction at a predetermined rateofspe'edgsaid conveyormeanscomprising a plurality of spacedendless belts, one end of saidconveyor means ,positionedtto receiverslices of product from saidmachine at a pointon said means and to moveisaidslices away .fromsaid;machine whereby said-slices arepositioned in a. shingled relwtionship, spacing means to periodically lift a group of said shingledslices from said conveyor means, move said group in said direction at agreater rate of speed than said predetermined rate, and redeposit saidgroup on said conveyor means whereby said shingled slices are positionedin spaced groups on said conveyor means, power means to operate saidconveyor means and said spacing means in timed relationship to thepaying out of said slices by said machine, a plurality of spaced waysmounted on said frame and having a conveying surface, said ways beingpositioned with one end thereof interdigitated with said belts and withthe other end extending beyond said conveyor means in said direction,movable means positioned above said way, said movable means having aplurality of points projecting toward said way to engage product on saidway, power driving means connected to said movable means to move saidpoints toward and beyond said other end of said ways, means forsupporting a stack of said pieces below said way, a stop member forpositioning one edge of said pieces, said stop member being spaced fromsaid other end of said ways a distance less than the length of saidpieces, said stop member having a lip extending upwardly away from saidother end of said ways, and a roller positioned under said surface, saidroller being mounted with the periphery thereof a distance from said lipequal to the length of said pieces, said lip being curved in an archaving substantially the same radius as that of said roller.

14. A device to lay a shingled group of slices of product on a flatpiece of material for use with a machine adapted to pay out said slicesof product in timed sequence, said device including a frame, conveyormeans mounted on said frame for movement of product in a given directionat a predetermined rate of speed, said conveyor means comprising aplurality of spaced endless belts, one end of said conveyor meanspositioned to receive slices of product from said machine at a point onsaid means and to move said slices away from said machine whereby saidslices are positioned in a shingled relationship, group spacing barspositioned between said belts adjacent said one end of said conveyormeans, cam means operatively connected to said bars to move said bars toa position below about said point, raise said bars until the tops of thebars are above the top of said belts, move the bars in said direction ata speed faster than said predetermined rate of speed, and lower saidbars below the top of said belts whereby said shingled slices arepositioned in spaced groups of said conveyor means, and power means tooperate said conveyor means and said cam means in timed relationship tothe paying out of said slices by said machine.

15. A device for use in the packaging of bacon including a bacon slicer,a frame, conveyor means mounted on said frame for movement of product ina given direction at a predetermined rate of speed, said conveyor meanscomprising a plurality of spaced endless belts, one end of said conveyormeans positioned to receive slices of product from said slicer at apoint on said means and to move said slices away from said slicerwhereby said slices are positioned in a shingled relationship, groupspacing bars positioned between said belts adjacent said one end of saidconveyor means, cam means operatively connected to said bars to movesaid bars to a position below about said point, raise said bars untilthe top of the bars are above the top of said belts, move the bars insaid direction at a speed faster than said predetermined rate of speed,and lower said bars below the top of said belts whereby said shingledslices are positioned in spaced groups on said conveyor means, powermeans to operate said conveyor means and said cam means in timedrelationship to the cutting of slices by said slicer, and means fordepositing each of said groups of shingled product on a piece ofmaterial.

16. A machine for use in placing product on a fiat piece of material,said machine including way means having a product supporting surface,said means coming to an acute angle point at one end thereof, powermeans for moving said product toward and beyond said acute angle point,means for supporting a stack of said pieces below said way means, aguide for positioning one edge of said pieces, said guide being spacedfrom said point a distance less than the length of said pieces, saidguide having a lip extending upwardly away from said point and a rollerpositioned under said surface, said roller being mounted with theperiphery thereof a distance from said lip equal to the length of saidpieces, said lip being curved in an are having substantially the sameradius as that of said roller.

17. A machine for use in placing product on a flat piece of material,said machine including a conveyor having a predetermined terminus, powermeans for moving said product along said conveyor in a given directiontoward said terminus, means for supporting said piece below saidconveyor and means for urging said piece upwardly toward said conveyorwith only a portion of said piece extending beyond said terminus in saiddirection, said power means extending beyond the terminus of saidconveyor in said direction whereby said product will frictionally engagesaid portion of said piece and draw it past said terminus to positionsaid product on said piece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,519,354 Brown Dec. 16, 1924 1,975,238 Tychsen Oct. 2, 1934 1,975,917Bech Oct. 9, 1934 2,391,125 Carpenter Dec. 18, 1945 2,442,250 Spain May25, 1948 2,492,250 Wilcox Dec. 27, 1949 2,542,330 Henderson et a1 Feb.20, 1951 2,741,886 Garapolo Apr. 17, 1956

